Page 6 of Wandering Wild

“Don’t be nervous,” Gabe tells me, swatting at a bee buzzing near his face.

“I’m not nervous.” I cover a yawn. “I’m jet-lagged.”

“You look nervous. You keep rubbing your forehead and shuffling your feet.”

“That’s because I have a headache, and I’m trying to stay awake.” I look straight at my agent, who decided to accompany me on my Australian trip like an overprotective babysitter, and reiterate, “Because I’m jet-lagged .”

After fifteen hours cramped inside a plane from LAX to Sydney, and then another ninety minutes driving to Katoomba, the only thing I want right now is to fall into bed. But that will have to wait, since Gabe has organized for us to meet the competition winner a day early to get a feel for her personality under the guise of us playing tourist together. It’s not ideal timing, but the alternative is meeting her tomorrow when Hawke’s cameras might already be rolling, so at least here we can get any overenthusiastic reactions out of the way. Or overcome any shyness, if she’s the kind of fan who is unable to speak in my presence. Having seen an image of her—a young teenage girl, maybe thirteen or so, with obscenely orange hair that’s sure to scare off any wildlife within a hundred miles—I’m hoping for the latter. Starstruck into silence is always preferable to overexuberant with no boundaries.

I’ll know one way or another soon enough, but until then, all I can do is lean against the railing at Echo Point Lookout, waiting for her to appear.

The view, at least, is diverting, offering a stunning panorama over the Blue Mountains National Park and a postcard-perfect look at what the plaque beside me calls the Three Sisters—three iconic sandstone peaks formed by erosion millennia ago. I could lose time marveling at their beauty, but I cast my gaze beyond them to the forested mountains and valleys stretching further than I can see. The sight is as humbling as it is daunting, and I shiver at the knowledge that, come tomorrow morning, I’ll be somewhere out there, doing everything I can to save my career.

I’ve got this , I tell myself. It’ll be fine .

I’ve repeated the same inner mantra for days, but now that I’m about to meet the winner, trepidation fills me. Gabe is right—I am nervous. So much is riding on this. I need this fan to help change the world’s opinion of me. Because if the plan fails and I return home without improving my public image, then?—

I don’t let myself finish the thought, and instead pull my baseball cap lower and push my sunglasses up my nose when a group of kids heads my way. I brace for their ambush, but like all the other tourists on the crowded viewing platform, they don’t spare me a second glance, their eyes on the plaque and the view as they talk animatedly among themselves. I remind myself that unless someone looks closely, they won’t recognize me, and I don’t have to be on guard for paparazzi because no one knows I’m here. News of the competition and the winner spread widely, but the location where Hawke is taking us will remain secret until the show airs. That means, for this afternoon, I can just be a regular guy, seeing the sights and enjoying myself like any normal person.

“Here she comes,” Gabe says, straightening beside me.

My stomach sinks as I remember that what I’m about to do isn’t normal and I likely won’t enjoy it, but I brush my hands down the front of my long-sleeved white shirt and over the top of my jeans, then adopt a friendly smile as I turn in the direction Gabe is facing. The crowd around us has cleared slightly, but I can’t see a young teenager with bright orange hair anywhere. I do, however, notice two girls around my age, one with short black hair who seems about to burst from happiness, and the other with pale, rosy skin and hair an interesting mix of blue and purple, her striking violet eyes looking everywhere but at me.

“Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh , I can’t believe it’s really you,” the dark-haired girl breathes, stopping before me and rocking on the balls of her feet as if considering whether or not to launch herself full-body into my arms. “I’m your biggest fan. Like, biggest .”

I should have known someone would eventually spot me, even with my hat and shades. I’m about to offer her a selfie and hope she’ll move on quickly so Gabe and I can give our attention to the competition winner—who I still can’t see anywhere—but I freeze when my agent reaches out his hand for her to shake.

“You must be Ember,” he says warmly. “Congratulations on winning the competition.”

A beaming smile lights up her whole face. “Thank you so much! I can’t tell you what a dream this is.”

I blink between them, using all my acting skills to hide my confusion.

“And this, I assume, is Charlie,” Gabe says, turning to the blue-haired girl.

My body locks, since “Charlie” is the name of the person reported as the winner. But this young woman looks nothing like the gangly, prepubescent teen from the photos.

“Yes, this is Charlie,” Ember confirms. “She’s my best friend, the one taking my place on the trip.”

I flick a startled glance toward Gabe, but he shows no reaction, indicating he was already aware of the switch.

Questions flood me, but I hold my tongue—for now—and mask my surprise, turning back to Ember to find her watching me closely. A knowing smirk plays at her lips, proof that she didn’t miss my initial response to seeing the non-orange real-life version of Charlie.

Somewhat slyly, Ember says, “The media did her dirty with the photo they used. It was from years ago, back in her awkward pre-glow-up stage. Clearly.”

Clearly, indeed.

I’m careful to keep my eyes from drifting to Charlie again, even when she clears her throat in embarrassment, since Ember is still watching me—and not like when she first arrived and wanted to fangirl out on me. There’s a different light in her gaze now, something worryingly similar to how Summer looks whenever she wants to play matchmaker.

I cover my apprehension—and my confusion about Ember winning but Charlie taking her place—by stepping forward until I’m beside Gabe, adopting my smoothest voice to say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Ember’s grin becomes blinding, but Charlie remains oddly expressionless. She still hasn’t looked my way, her gaze moving from her feet to the view, to Gabe and to Ember, but never settling on me. I assume she must fall under the “shy, nervous fan” category, and in an effort to help her, I ask, “Are you excited for tomorrow, Charlie?”

Finally, her attention comes to me, her eyes flashing with an unreadable emotion before they flit away again almost immediately, and she mumbles a sarcastic, “Can’t wait.”

My eyebrows shoot upward, and even Gabe seems taken aback, but Ember elbows her friend and leans in to whisper something, causing Charlie’s shoulders to slump. She sighs and turns to me again, holding my gaze this time as she says, “Sorry. Jet lag.”

I’m about to assure her that I can relate, but then I recall hearing that the winner lives in a coastal town only a short flight from Sydney. My eyes narrow at her lie, but she just peers steadily back at me, as if daring me to call her on it.

Gabe wades in to break up our stare-down, saying, “We’re so pleased you two were able to meet us today, especially since this introduction wasn’t on the itinerary. But I thought, since we’re all here, it might be nice if we get to know each other a little before tomorrow.” He gestures between them both. “Are you hungry? Shall we grab a late lunch, then stretch our legs on a short bushwalk? That could be fun.”

“So much fun,” Charlie says. Her smile doesn’t come close to being genuine.

“We could go on the cable car,” Ember says enthusiastically, as if trying to cover for her friend’s inexplicable attitude. She points beyond the lookout’s railing. “Or whatever that terrifying thing is.”

I follow her finger to see the glass-bottomed Scenic Skyway ambling across wires high above the valley. The hotel concierge said it’s different from the cable car, though both offer views of the rainforest canopy, ancient ravines, and waterfalls. I grin at Ember, causing her to blush as I cast my vote with hers. “That sounds good to me.”

She looks like she’s going to faint from joy—and Gabe looks like he’s going to faint from something else entirely. He’s never been comfortable with heights, despite having a high-rise office, which he claims is different. A quick glance at Charlie, and I can’t tell how she feels about riding the Skyway. All I know is that, given her disposition toward me so far, it doesn’t take a genius to realize she might not be here of her own will.

Anxiety grips me, since not once did I consider that the person accompanying me on tomorrow’s adventure might not actually be a fan. Ember won the competition, and it’s clear she is, but Charlie...

If I can’t get her to like me, or at least play along while the cameras are rolling, then there’s no way I’ll convince the studio that I’m worth keeping around. My career—my life —is in her hands, and she doesn’t even know it.

Worse, I have a feeling that if she did, she wouldn’t care.

My palms turn clammy, but I keep my features carefree as Gabe suggests we find a place to eat, prompting Charlie to look at her friend and confirm she’s happy to leave. Seeing that, a plan forms in my mind. Charlie is obviously here because of Ember, so the best way to sway her into liking me—or at least losing the passive-aggressive vibes—is through Ember. Thankfully, unlike Charlie, Ember doesn’t seem inclined to push me over the side of the lookout, so I step closer to her and, in a dorky move that I’ll have embarrassed flashbacks to later, I bow at the waist before offering her my arm.

“My lady, let us be away to the feast,” I say, in for a penny, in for a pound.

A startled giggle leaves her. “Why, thank you, kind sir,” she says with a curtsy.

As Ember wraps her fingers around my elbow, I sneak a look at Charlie and see her face soften at her friend’s clear delight. Feeling more confident in my plan, I continue lavishing attention on Ember as I escort her away from the lookout and along the street. Even after we step into a quiet cafe and place our orders, I keep asking questions about her life, learning how her family immigrated to Australia when she was little, and then how she and Charlie became neighbors ten years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Nostalgia hits me as I think about my own best friend, and it quickly turns to melancholy as I remember that Maddox never responded to the voicemail I sent before I left. This time hurts more than all the other unanswered messages combined, given what he knows of my past, and what I’m walking into tomorrow.

I shake myself back to the present when our meals arrive, taking a bite of my burger and listening as Ember talks about her many childhood adventures with Charlie. My eyes shift frequently to the blue-haired girl sitting opposite me, but she mostly lets her friend speak and focuses on eating her own lunch—at least until Ember reaches their teenage years and stops abruptly, seeming uncomfortable for the first time since we met. She turns to Charlie with a strange, almost pleading look, and Charlie jumps to her rescue.

“This must be so boring, hearing about our lives,” Charlie says, faking a laugh and fiddling with her napkin. “I’m sure there are a million other things we should be talking about.” She nudges her empty plate. “Sidenote: is it just me, or was that the best burger you’ve ever tasted?”

It’s clearly a ploy to distract us from whatever caused Ember to freeze, but since I’m eager for any points I can get with Charlie, I nod eagerly and say, “The pineapple really kicked it up a notch.”

“Yuck.” Ember pulls a face. “Hot pineapple is a crime against nature. No one can convince me otherwise, not even my favorite actor of all time.”

It was a throwaway comment, but her praise still makes me flush with pleasure.

“Charlie’s right, actually,” Gabe interjects, leaning forward beside me. “There are things we should discuss about the next few days.”

“We read the info you sent,” Ember says, wiping condensation from her glass. “It was pretty vague.”

“That’s by design, I’m afraid,” Gabe says. “Hawke’s team likes to surprise his guests, so the details we have are sparse.” He turns to Charlie and me. “I do know you’ll be collected from the hotel lobby at six a.m. and taken to a rendezvous point where you’ll meet the executive producer, Scarlett Quinn, as well as Hawke himself. Then after a quick photo op, you’ll be away on your adventure.”

I wonder if I’m imagining the look of dread on Charlie’s face, or if I’m just projecting my own feelings. She can’t know— no one can know —how much this trip is going to require of me, mentally and emotionally. The only people who do know are Summer and Maddox, and only one of them seems to give a damn about me anymore.

I grit my teeth against a stab of heartache, but at the prickling sensation of someone watching me, I turn to find Charlie’s eyes. The curiosity in her gaze worries me, so even though I’m grateful that she’s not emanating belligerence right now, I still wish she hadn’t caught me in such an unguarded moment. I force myself to relax, casting all thoughts of my best friend aside so I can refocus on the conversation.

“Can I go with Charlie to meet Hawke in the morning?” Ember asks.

Gabe scratches his jaw. “I assume we can both accompany them to the rendezvous point, but I’ll call Scarlett tonight to make sure.”

Ember looks pleased—and excited—and I wonder again why she’s not the one joining me.

“Now,” Gabe continues, speaking once more to Charlie and me, “Hawke’s team will outfit you both with all the gear you need, partly to keep their branding in the spotlight, but also because they know exactly what you’ll require. You sent through your sizes, yes?”

I don’t answer since Gabe sent mine, but I’m amused when Ember chirps out a “Sure did!” and Charlie looks surprised before frowning, as if wondering what else Ember might have done behind her back.

“Excellent,” Gabe says. “So just wear your hiking boots and something comfortable in the morning, and everything else will be given to you.” He grins and adds, “Assuming you’re still standing when you return on Friday afternoon, we should indulge in a celebratory ‘You survived!’ meal that night before we all depart on Saturday. Sound good?”

“Sounds amazing ,” Ember says, turning to her friend. “Right, Charlie Bear?”

Charlie doesn’t blink at the cute nickname, though her voice is strained as she replies, “It sure does.”

“We have a plan, then.” Gabe claps his hands together. “With that done, shall we go see the sights?” He indicates beyond the cafe’s windows. “We could walk to the falls? I hear they’re impressive. Or perhaps?—”

“Let’s do the flying sky-car thing!” Ember interrupts gleefully.

Gabe pales. “Oh, erm, yes.” He coughs. “Of course.”

My lips twitch but I suppress my smile, only to find Charlie doing the same. We share a moment of camaraderie before her expression shutters, as if she suddenly remembered that—for whatever reason—she hates me. I can’t explain it, and I have no clue what might have caused it, but her antagonism toward me is impossible to miss. She’s keeping it mostly in check, but I fear that’s only for Ember’s sake, which means that, come tomorrow when we’re alone with Hawke, I have no idea what’s going to happen.

I need to know why she’s here, since maybe that will give me answers as to why she doesn’t want to be here. But I also can’t just blurt out the question. I’ll have to wait until I’m alone with Gabe again. He knew about Ember transferring the competition to Charlie, so hopefully he’ll be able to tell me what I need to know in order to make this work.

Because if I can’t, then that’s it for me, my dreams over and done.

* * *